Two Donegal schools are celebrating this week after winning prizes at this year’s Student Enterprise Awards.
Sean Óg Harrigan and Oisín McLaughlin, (both aged 14), from Scoil Mhuire Buncrana won the overall Intermediate Category for their business ‘Inish Woodworking,’ which makes bespoke wooden crafts for export, including bowls, lamps, candlesticks and cheese-boards.
The second Donegal winner was ‘Kitchen Kouture’ from Royal and Prior Comprehensive School, who won ‘Best Display Category’ for their unique handcrafted aprons.
Having won through from the county finals in Donegal, the winning schools worked very closely with Local Enterprise Office Donegal in preparation for the awards, which took place on Wednesday, 20th April in Croke Park, Dublin. Guests in attendance included Tómas Hayes from the Network of Local Enterprise Offices and Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Mr. Damien English T.D.
Donegal’s Local Enterprise Office is celebrating this week after two Donegal schools won prizes at this year’s Student Enterprise Awards. Pictured are Sean Óg Harrigan and Oisín McLaughlin, (both aged 14), from Scoil Mhuire Buncrana, who won the overall Intermediate Category for their business ‘Inish Woodworking,’ which makes bespoke wooden crafts for export, including bowls, lamps, candlesticks and cheese-boards.
The Student Enterprise Awards is an initiative of 31 Local Enterprise Offices across the Local Authorities Network aimed at promoting entrepreneurship at an early age. This year saw a record number of 22,000 students and 620 schools taking part in the programme, with strong entry across Junior, Intermediate and Senior Categories.
Congratulating the winners, Head of Enterprise with Donegal’s Local Enterprise Office, Michael Tunney, said: “It’s a tremendous achievement for both schools and I would like to congratulate the students and their families on their success. I would also like to pay tribute to the teachers and principals of both schools for their support of the Student Enterprise Programme.”
“The judges were very impressed by the ability of the Scoil Mhuire Buncrana students to spot a gap in the market and develop a hand-crafted solution that has real commercial potential at home and abroad. Likewise, the innovative display from Kitchen Kouture set them apart in the minds’ of judges and brought home a second award for Donegal.”
He added: “The Student Enterprise Programme was set up to encourage more young people to start a business and to foster a more enterprising culture for start-ups. A record number of students and schools took part in this year’s programme, showing a growing interest in enterprise in the classroom.”
The second Donegal winner was ‘Kitchen Kouture’ from Royal and Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe, who won ‘Best Display Category’ for their unique handcrafted aprons.
Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Mr. Damien English T.D presented the students with their award on stage, saying: “It is extremely encouraging to see the level of ingenuity and entrepreneurship in action throughout classrooms in Ireland today.
Through the Student Enterprise Awards, the Local Enterprise Offices are supporting more young people in developing practical business experience, providing students with the opportunity to learn first-hand skills that are vital for securing future growth within the Irish economy.”
The 2016/2017 Student Enterprise Awards’ programme will commence in September and full details are available at www.studententerprise.ie. For more information on the SEAs contact Gordon Burke, Local Enterprise Office Donegal on gordon.burke@leo.donegalcoco.ie or call 074 91 60735.
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